A Life That Never Was
by Spirit Adept
Summary: My first actual story. This has a bit of anguish in it, as it is about what would happen if Isaac and Garet never went on the adventure. Might do more chapters if I feel like it. (Review, hint, hint.)


Well, this is my first story that I actually wrote. I hope it turns out to be well liked.

In the beginning of 'Golden Sun', you are given the choice to start out on the adventure or not. If you don't, it says that the world comes to its fated end and you then have to start over. This is what I think would happen if Isaac and Garet chose not to go out on the quest.

A Life That Never Was

The Betrayers

A lone man sat at the top of a hill, viewing the impending doom that lay before him. The sky was pitch black, ending at an abnormally low horizon. The sound of collapsing earth was carried far into the distance by a harsh, cold, wind that continuous blew. It whipped the blonde hair of the man in all sorts of directions as he stared, uncaringly, into the abyss before him.

The appearance of the man was less then perfect. His clothing was that of a commoner but not a poor one. It had permanent stains and tares from toiling in the fields. His spiky hair was flat and unkept, not from the wind but from the rough life he had lived. His face showed no emotion at all, offering nothing but a cold, unmoving, stare. Yet despite the emptiness the individual seemed to show, thoughts of the family he once had, friends he used to laugh with, and the life he once lived raced about in his head.

Another man slowly walked up the hill and sat down beside him. His clothing was similar in appearance but he was better built and taller than the first man. The fiery red hair that sprung from his head like an eruption made him look even more intimidating. However, unlike the first man, this one had a face that showed emotion, mainly of worry for his friend. He turned to the man beside him and spoke with a deep voice.

"So how long do you think it will take for that void to swallow us?" Without turning to face him, the first man spoke in a monotone voice.

"Another half hour and this spot right here will be gone. Not long after that Vale and the remaining world surrounding it will be engulfed." A moment of silence followed before the red haired man spoke again.

"So what exactly are you thinking of here Isaac?"

"Everything Garet, everything that happened to us." Garet sighed.

"You mean how this is our fault."

"Right."

"Isaac, we have been over this before. This is not our fault. We didn't go out to find the Elemental Stars because it was impossible. You heard the Grand Healer for yourself, he wouldn't wish this on anyone. Besides, it would have been just you and me against the world. Do you think we could have done it?"

"We should have tried at least."

"No one needs dead heroes. At the very least, we were out numbered two to one. Even though we have been training ever since three year before it happened, they would have gotten stronger too. Saturos and Menardi were bad enough, and then you have Alex and Felix. And sure Jenna might be able to help, but they would just use Felix against her, and she would never hurt her brother." Garet sighed again and shook his head.

"I just don't get it. Felix and the rest of us were the best of friends, then on that day we thought he drowned, he disappears and doesn't even try to tell us that he is alive. Three years later, he shows up with them and betrays us all."

Garet was becoming visibly angrier as he spoke of Felix. He was beginning to grind his teeth and turning red with anger. Isaac continued to stare off into the distance, having never moved even so much as to look at Garet.

"After they stole the Elemental Stars from us, they kidnapped Jenna and Karden. You know, sometimes I think it was too convenient the way some of this stuff happened. How Jenna had us go get the stars while she stayed back with Karden. I think she might have been in on this too…"

"Don't go there." Isaac interrupted. His face showed no emotion still but his eyes were full of anger. Garet immediately calmed down.

"I'm sorry Isaac. I didn't mean that. You know I get a little cared away when I get mad." Another silence persisted.

"You really did like her, didn't you?" Garet asked to break the silence.

"That face she made when Felix took her a way, the way she screamed as they left, she couldn't have faked that. The picture of that look is cemented into my memory. It has haunted me every night since then." Isaac looked down slightly as he spoke.

"We were to get married as soon as we turned eighteen, did you know that?" Garet looked at his friend in shock. Seven years had pasted since that fateful day, and this was the first time he ever heard this.

"In six month, we would have both been eighteen. The plan was to get married and live in a house on the outer edge of Vale, just a little bit into the forest and next to the river. Both of our families would help buy the land but it was up to us to build the house, using nothing but tools and our psyenergy. Just like my parents and hers did."

A tear slid down Isaac's cheek as he stopped talking. Garet suddenly realized his friend's regrets. It wasn't about staying here, only being able to get a job as a picker and having the villager shake their heads at him every time he walked by them. It was about not going out to look for Jenna, his true love.

"Do you really think we stood a chance Isaac?"

"I don't know, maybe. We might have been able to find someone to help. Remember that Ivan kid that stopped by here every so often, he was an adept. And if he was out there, maybe then there were other adepts that could have helped."

"Well if you went, I would have gone too. I couldn't leave my best friend out there all alone." Isaac finally smiled and looked up at Garet.

"Garet, thanks for everything. Especially after my mom died, you have been the only one to talk to. Even just having you talk meant something to me. Sorry if I haven't exactly shown that." Garet was grinning from ear to ear by the time Isaac finished talking.

"Ah that's all right. That's what friends are for." The two friends turned and looked out at the rift. It had moved considerably closer since Garet first sat down next to Isaac.

"Should we head back to Vale now Isaac?"

"I don't think we could outrun the rift now. Besides I'm not backing down any more."

"What do you mean?" Isaac stood up and began to walk toward the rift. Garet followed

"Jenna has already fallen in, and she will be in the next life now. I messed up here in this life before but I won't this time. I won't stop looking for her until I find her, and the sooner I fall in, the sooner I can start looking for her."

"And I'll be right behind you, all the way."

The void came and swallowed the two friends, drowning them in a sea of darkness. As Isaac fell, his thoughts turned to what he would do next. He didn't were to start looking, how he was going to find Jenna, or even if there was a second life. But he did know that those answers wouldn't find him, he had to find them. The most he could do is try, and maybe, just maybe, everything would work out.


End file.
